*** OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham FC ***

[DeanoAustin]

He didn't have to make any changes, not this early in the season with no Europe.

He did. He’s got to keep more than just the first X1 motivated. And he won’t be able to rely on the first X1 for the season. So he has to play fringe players at some stage and better here than a league game.

Pretty much every club uses their second choice keeper in this comp. Royal has been unlucky not to start after Brentford so he has to start. Udogie is carrying a knock so Davies has to play. We might be relying on Sanchez if VdV or Romero take a knock so playing him isn’t unreasonable. Maddison had a knock last week and GLC earned a spot so I get that one. PEH has to play too really.

I’d maybe have limited to that. But I wouldn’t condemn Ange for the other changes.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He did. He’s got to keep more than just the first X1 motivated. And he won’t be able to rely on the first X1 for the season. So he has to play fringe players at some stage and better here than a league game.

Pretty much every club uses their second choice keeper in this comp. Royal has been unlucky not to start after Brentford so he has to start. Udogie is carrying a knock so Davies has to play. We might be relying on Sanchez if VdV or Romero take a knock so playing him isn’t unreasonable. Maddison had a knock last week and GLC earned a spot so I get that one. PEH has to play too really.

I’d maybe have limited to that. But I wouldn’t condemn Ange for the other changes.

Issue now is
Same as before
The second team gets a chance
Fails
And then get no more chances because they failed

 

[Bedfordspurs]

So what if it was mixed conditions and a lot of traveling? There has been plenty of time to recover. They'd be on private flights and be able to sleep on the plane.

Doubt we flew to Bournemouth
And if we flew to Fulham we have fudging issues

 

[Benny_Lad]

How we approached the game was fine for me. He made some changes he was always going to make and had to make. The other changes weren’t outrageous.

The other way of looking at it is that we’re out but it was our lowest priority this season. I’d still rather be in it but it’s not the end of the world.

What are our priorities? FYI - Ange said he’s come here to win trophies.

 

[balesleftboot]

pre season is hard, its a tricky balance, Conte got accused of running players into the ground very early in the preceding two seasons, also we have no control over the fudging internationals that are coming up, all has to be factored in

If I had to name a list of my biggest football frustrations, international breaks would be right up there.

 

[The Fatman]

I am tinkled off we are out, but now Ange, knows what reserve players he can trust.

 

[DeanoAustin]

Issue now is
Same as before
The second team gets a chance
Fails
And then get no more chances because they failed

Yep, fair point. But I can see the sense in what he’s done, even if it was a couple of changes more than I liked, and we got beat by the finest of margins away to a good PL team.

 

[DubSpur]

He did. He’s got to keep more than just the first X1 motivated. And he won’t be able to rely on the first X1 for the season. So he has to play fringe players at some stage and better here than a league game.

Pretty much every club uses their second choice keeper in this comp. Royal has been unlucky not to start after Brentford so he has to start. Udogie is carrying a knock so Davies has to play. We might be relying on Sanchez if VdV or Romero take a knock so playing him isn’t unreasonable. Maddison had a knock last week and GLC earned a spot so I get that one. PEH has to play too really.

I’d maybe have limited to that. But I wouldn’t condemn Ange for the other changes.

He didn't. Swap in a couple of players tonight, take them back out, and play a different squad player on Saturday. 5 subs are allowed so there's plenty of opportunity now to take players off early and give others minutes. Don't make 9 changes and end up losing.

And now that we are out there are fewer games to use rotation and give a couple of squad players, that deserve it, a full game.

 

[DeanoAustin]

What are our priorities? FYI - Ange said he’s come here to win trophies.

Like it or not, the league is always going to be top priority. Given we won’t win it, finishing top 4 will always be the priority.

FA Cup is second
League Cup is third

We aren’t unique as a club in that albeit I suspect that we probably put more emphasis on top 4 than other clubs.

 

[Baleforce]

He didn't. Swap in a couple of players tonight, take them back out, and play a different squad player on Saturday. 5 subs are allowed so there's plenty of opportunity now to take players off early and give others minutes. Don't make 9 changes and end up losing.

And now that we are out there are fewer games to use rotation and give a couple of squad players, that deserve it, a full game.

think of all that extra rest and prep time we have for the league games though

 

[Benny_Lad]

Issue now is
Same as before
The second team gets a chance
Fails
And then get no more chances because they failed

Exactly - the 2nd team won’t be playing in the EFL Cup anymore.

As my post stated yesterday - the fringe players can come on for 20s and 30s in any game where we go 2 or 3 goals up - league or cup. Then if injury strikes, one of them gets a chance to start, and so on.

 

[Aldo]

Issue now is
Same as before
The second team gets a chance
Fails
And then get no more chances because they failed

Yes but it shouldn't be a firm 1st XI and 2nd XI. Blend the two, make a few changes in games like this, mix it up, integrate players. But nine changes against Prem opposition...I wouldn't be suprised if the starting XI tonight hadn't started together before.

 

[MKSpur]

I blame Robbie Williams. We were doing fine until he got involved.

 

[Benny_Lad]

Like it or not, the league is always going to be top priority. Given we won’t win it, finishing top 4 will always be the priority.

FA Cup is second
League Cup is third

We aren’t unique as a club in that albeit I suspect that we probably put more emphasis on top 4 than other clubs.

So we’re back to coin over trophy. Is that an Ange thing? Or one of his objectives? You seem more in tune with that side of it than me so I’m curious as the where the top 4 priority comes from. Is it in the paperwork? Mentioned in corridors? Written on toilet doors?

Anything official in Ange’s contract you think?

You’re on dangerous ground in here if you suggest it’s come from Levy!

 

[Baleforce]

So we’re back to coin over trophy. Is that an Ange thing? Or one of his objectives? You seem more in tune with that side of it than me so I’m curious as the where the top 4 priority comes from. Is it in the paperwork? Mentioned in corridors? Written on toilet doors?

Anything official in Ange’s contract you think?

You’re on dangerous ground in here if you suggest it’s come from Levy!

It’s not (just) coin, CL qualification is a much bigger achievement.

 

[DubSpur]

I’d be amazed, they play football all day every day.

They play football every day, they don't play 11-a-side matches.

 

[Baleforce]

They play football every day, they don't play 11-a-side matches.

Yeah they do, they’ll play 4/5 a week.

 

[Mikey10]

The issue isn't about going out, it happens. It's the way we went out. I'm surprised Ange picked a weak side tonight as he's been a successful cup manager in his career.

He’s proper Spurs now though.

 

[DubSpur]

think of all that extra rest and prep time we have for the league games though

We don't need extra rest and prep time, what we really need is to win a trophy.

 

[DeanoAustin]

So we’re back to coin over trophy. Is that an Ange thing? Or one of his objectives? You seem more in tune with that side of it than me so I’m curious as the where the top 4 priority comes from. Is it in the paperwork? Mentioned in corridors? Written on toilet doors?

Anything official in Ange’s contract you think?

You’re on dangerous ground in here if you suggest it’s come from Levy!

Of course it comes from Levy. Not something I know for a fact but you have to listen to what other coaches have said and what Levy has said. And there is absolute sense in prioritising Top 4 that not just about lining the owners pockets. I’m sure that other clubs also prioritise top 4 which is why you’ll see Liverpool, United, City, Chelsea and Arsenal make half a dozen or more changes in the early rounds of the competition.

On prioritising top 4, firstly any money we make goes back into the club. That’s fact. Levy’s always said that growing revenue is the key to competing and long term success and you’ll get more revenue for top 4 than the league cup.

I understand why people might disagree with him but, at the end of the day, he’s prioritising top 4 for something we all want - the club to be successful. Like I say, it’s fine to disagree with that. I believe it’s unfair to think his motivation is self interest.